Apple Announces Changes to iTunes Stores: DRM Free, Variable Pricing
At today's Macworld Expo keynote, Apple announced several changes to the iTunes store.
Starting today, 8 million of the iTunes Store's 10 million songs are now available DRM-free via iTunes Plus. All 10 million songs in the iTunes Store will be offered DRM-free by the end of March. Apple will also offer users a one-click solution to upgrade their entire library to iTunes Plus for 30 cents per song or 30% of album prices.
Additionally, the iTunes Wi-Fi music store is now compatible with 3G, allowing iPhone users to preview and download the entire iTunes music catalog over the 3G cellular network. Songs are available at the same price and quality as over Wi-Fi.
Finally, beginning in April, the iTunes Store will offer pricing in three tiers ($0.69, $0.99, and $1.29) based on the prices the music labels charge Apple.
Update: Several users have reported that iTunes Store downloads are also working over AT&T's slower EDGE network.
Starting today, 8 million of the iTunes Store's 10 million songs are now available DRM-free via iTunes Plus. All 10 million songs in the iTunes Store will be offered DRM-free by the end of March. Apple will also offer users a one-click solution to upgrade their entire library to iTunes Plus for 30 cents per song or 30% of album prices.
Additionally, the iTunes Wi-Fi music store is now compatible with 3G, allowing iPhone users to preview and download the entire iTunes music catalog over the 3G cellular network. Songs are available at the same price and quality as over Wi-Fi.
Finally, beginning in April, the iTunes Store will offer pricing in three tiers ($0.69, $0.99, and $1.29) based on the prices the music labels charge Apple.
Update: Several users have reported that iTunes Store downloads are also working over AT&T's slower EDGE network.
Top Rated Comments
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41 months ago
Nice changes to tracks from the iTunes Store. Keep the record labels happy and maintain market share in this key consumer segment. The addition of over the air downloads to an iPhone 3G will serve as a competitive advantage for Apple against rivals and will make it that much harder for the others to compete.
Apple's end-to-end business model is key competitive advantage that others simply cannot replicate.
Apple's end-to-end business model is key competitive advantage that others simply cannot replicate.
41 months ago
apple really needs to let people upgrade to itunes plus in some other fashion rather than a one click batch upgrade. especially those of us who have bought a lot from the store... it can be a bit much all at once imo.
41 months ago
Overall, this is a good thing. But I think raising some of the prices to $1.29 is going to promote piracy.
Don
Don
41 months ago
So... any guesses whether or not people are not going to want to pay $1.29 for most of the drivel on the top 100 these days, piracy goes up. labels blame it on drm-free tunes. DRM comes back to iTunes and pricing structure stays. Any takers?
41 months ago
Question to those who upgraded, did it replace the tracks and maintain the play count and ratings or are they reset?
Thanks
Thanks
41 months ago
So, currently iTunes Plus implies two things: DRM-free and higher bitrate encoding (256 vs. 128).
After everything is DRM-free, will there still be an iTunes Plus version that is just higher bitrate? Or are all tracks going to be higher bitrate now too?
After everything is DRM-free, will there still be an iTunes Plus version that is just higher bitrate? Or are all tracks going to be higher bitrate now too?
41 months ago
dont suppose the video will be drm (fingers crossed REALLY tight)
i really really wanna buy programmes, and then wack them on my ps3!:apple:
i really really wanna buy programmes, and then wack them on my ps3!:apple:
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